Yukiko:
I awake with a loud voice, of a woman but not Yagi-san’s. I go down the stairs and peek into the kitchen hearing Yagi-san’s plan and Uncle’s refusal… But it’s Aioi-san who’s the loudest, trying to get her point across while Uncle holds her back from Yagi-san. Is Aioi-san trying to destroy Yagi-san? If she is she’s successful as Yagi-san immediately leaves through the kitchen door, followed by Tomu and I see why… Aioi-san kisses Uncle telling him how she knows him, what he’d keep doing. And finally her revenge, before telling him goodbye.
I should go to Yagi-san but after seeing that, I’m pulled to the direction of Aioi-san. I run after her just outside the gates.
“Are you really leaving Aioi-san?” I ask.
She doesn’t turn and answers, “That’s what he wants.” and more quietly, “She’s what he wants.”
She won’t turn but I see the way she quivers that it’s not from the cold. “Yagi-san is a good woman. I think she loves him.”
“She has a -poor- way of showing it.” She finally turns and I can see the streaks running through her make-up, ruining her face. “You know I could never give him what he wants? I can’t cook, can’t run a house or whatever domestic life should be. But there was one thing I could’ve…” She looks down towards her abdomen, smiling sadly. “At least I can say my love has always been stronger than the hurt.”
She seems sincere and although it’s not my place to answer, I do. “I’m sure Uncle knows Aioi-san. And is probably thankful for it.” I look to the side, “But love doesn’t make sense right? Maybe Uncle would probably be better off with you but he chooses Yagi-san. He chose her over and over again.”
“This time he’s not and because of that, she runs out on him. Just because he won’t agree to what she wants. She has very little faith in him. I’d have more respect for her I suppose if she just stood there and witnessed it all.”
I avert my eyes. Everyone has a way they react. I stood frozen when Eiji asked. Yagi-san runs when it’s hard. Uncle pointedly keeps pushing forward by -himself- when backed to a corner. “We’re not all strong. Not all the time at least.”
She shrugs. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t believe in someone. For all his talk of the orderly closure of this place…” She stops and turns away, “Well who knows? Maybe this time he’ll actually do it.”
I can’t say anything to that. If we all go on our separate ways… But she’s right, we can’t all be strong but we can believe. I bow to Aioi-san as she disappears into the dark and I go back to the house. There is something I can do to lighten their load, regardless of how it turns out.
(OOC: Yukiko will go into the After Midnight thread)
(Back to this thread, back inside for Hide, Yukiko and Tsutomu-kun)
I’m lead back inside, out of the cold, of the men’s discussions and Shinomori Aoshi bringing some sort of prisioner(?) with him…
“I…. your uncle and I… we have to leave this place. Tokyo,” I say, finally. “I don’t want to run I’m tired of running, I’ve been running for years now…” I close my eyes. “And… I don’t want to lose you two. Not that I’ve done what I was supposed to, guided you…” I shake my head. I have a long life ahead of me to wallow in my regrets.
“We should follow Hajime’s wishes. He has enough to deal with, and worrying about this place…” I don’t want to go. If I go this time, I fear this is it. The last run. I’ll never see him again. Once, he had a reason to come find me, rescue me, over and over. Now?
I get up and start frantically putting away the dishes that were drying from dinner, a useless act of a fussy woman. “I have to get… I don’t know what to do with Midori-chan.” Another bright move. I thought it was a -sign- that the universe accepted my place, but it was just another -trap-. “I… I know you wanted to protect her, Tsutomu-kun. I’m sorry.”
Then I look around, her smell lingers but I don’t see her. “Aioi-san… is she gone?”
Auntie tries to busy herself with the dishes and telling us we have to go. I look at the tickets that’s now on the table and notice with the exception of one ticket going to Mito in Ibaraki, that’s for me of course… But everything was doubled…
“But Auntie, where do you want to go? Which one?” I show her the double tickets one set going far North and one set going to Aizu.
Auntie mentions Nishino-san and she’s right can she really go with any of us? Likely not. “Well there’s an extra ticket… I assume it’s for her.”
“Well that’s -stupid!” Tomu exclaims, “She’s studying at Futaba and has plans to go abroad. If she goes with us, all her effort this year with be for nothing!”
He crosses his arms. “Why do we have to do what he says anyway? He doesn’t even -live- here anymore.”
I glance back at Tomu. I wish he’d not speak that way about Uncle, I don’t think it helps us.
I wanted to lighten the load right? “I can stay behind, help Nishino-san find a place before I go to Mito.” I glance at Tomu suddenly realizing something. He can’t really go to Hokkaido can he? He’ll want to go to Aizu… Probably.
“Aioi-san… is she gone?”
I nod. “She said goodbye to Uncle and left.” I wonder should I tell her more? But who really wants to hear about -another- woman?
(OOC: sorry i missed the last question of Hide’s)
But Auntie, where do you want to go? Which one?
I look at the tickets. Hokkaido is a failed dream, and what’s there, aside from Nagakura-san? Hijikata-san’s ghost? “Aizu,” I say. I won’t be welcome there, but I told Hajime, once, that I’d like his daughters to see it. I look at Tsutomu-kun. “You could pick up your schooling there, too.” I don’t know what will be available to Makoto… but I can manage to teach her myself, while she’s this young, if there’s no better options. And here I was, worried about bullying at -Futaba-. “Just promise me… that you’ll protect your sisters there.” Of course, with that he’ll feel pulled by his mother and them in opposite directions… but in Aizu perhaps he won’t be a stranger to Makoto and Ai. They’re loosing too much already, these two innocents.
Well that’s -stupid! She’s studying at Futaba and has plans to go abroad. If she goes with us, all her effort this year with be for nothing!
It was foolish, even if well-meant from his perspective, to bring her into this house with all of its problems. I -don’t- know what to do about her. I’ve seen how hard she’s worked…
Why do we have to do what he says anyway? He doesn’t even -live- here anymore
I look at Tsutomu-kun sadly. “That’s why things are where they are. Too many things happened at this house that he didn’t even get a say in. He had a family, at my direction, that didn’t consider his needs or wishes, or even his -opinions-.” I take a deep breath, “and he needs us now, to follow direction and go somewhere safer than here if he’s to resolve this threat and not be worrying about what trouble we’ll be getting into here.” I sit at the table. “If we care for him, and want to support him, and for him to make it back – we have to go.”
And where it goes from there?
I can stay behind, help Nishino-san find a place before I go to Mito.
A name comes to me. “Niijima Yae-san.” I look at Tsutomu-kun. “You know her, certainly. She has a girls’ school in Kyoto, I’d imagine that she would be willing to take her in. It’s a fine school, modern… and if their English program won’t prepare her for her dreams, my brother would help. She’ll have my family, all of them, plus their protector…” I look at Tsutomu-kun, “we won’t lose her, at least.” Kyoto would be perfect for me, but… not yet. “Could you escort her there, if she agrees?”
I look at the tickets. Not long before we need to be at the station. “Take what you need, or is precious.” I need to wake Midori-san sooner than later.
There’s footsteps on the stairs. “I wish to go where you all go, Yagi-san, if you’ll have me.” I look up to see Midori-san. “I can be an artist anywhere.” She smiles softly at Tsutomu-kun, and touches his hand. “Thank you for fighting for me.”
Thankfully the Battousai and the former Okashira leaves without much friction. I don’t know how far the Oniwaban group plans to be involved but a part of this is squarely Police business and the other, well Kawaji would say I’m stepping over the line. Don’t we all? I throw the butt of the cigarette to the ground and go my way to the kitchen door.
I stop for a moment before opening it. Hide said she didn’t want to go to Aizu and although I opposed Hokkaido before, I bought the tickets didn’t I? The truth was I don’t know where I want them to go. I only know, not -here-.
So what will I say? What will I force them to do?
And I hear voices and although I don’t make it my habit to eavesdrop unless it’s to spy for work, I decide to listen.
“Aizu,” “You could pick up your schooling there, too.” “Just promise me… that you’ll protect your sisters there.”
Aizu? So Hide’s changed her mind? And telling Tomu to go to school there but she’s asking for protection of the girls? I expected her to only be in Aizu temporarily, leaving Tomu to his mother. There’s nothing for young girls in Aizu. Nisshi-kan is an all boys school, whose families were all higher ranking samurai. I doubt they’d get in even with the recommendation of my in-laws… And that’s if they even agree to help, knowing what I did.
Hide mentions the Nishino girl and my son immediately goes on a tirade about how the girl’s effort would be wasted. And he goes against Hide, telling her not to follow what I say. Well she usually doesn’t… I almost grin wryly to myself.
That’s why things are where they are. Too many things happened at this house that he didn’t even get a say in. He had a family, at my direction, that didn’t consider his needs or wishes, or even his -opinions-.” “and he needs us now, to follow direction and go somewhere safer than here if he’s to resolve this threat and not be worrying about what trouble we’ll be getting into here.”
There were many things that happened. It wasn’t so much that I did not get what I want, only that she didn’t make time to go over these things with the little time I already spend in the house. Well I suppose there were those rare times when I’d tell her what I want or give her advice but it just wasn’t for her I suppose. Maybe it was bad advice. But that’s the -past-. No sense digging it up.
“If we care for him, and want to support him, and for him to make it back – we have to go.”
Make it back huh? But back to what? I suppose I’ll always be in Tokyo tied to the TMPD. But they can go elsewhere, start over again.
And they start talking about Yae-ko, the school with Jo, that the Nishino girl can go to. Doesn’t this girl have any parents or guardians responsible for her? That school is nice enough for the Nishino girl who plans to go abroad… And although I’d like to think my daughters can go to this same school the Doshisha Girl’s School is not a school that can secure their futures. After all the reason this school exists is because the government pressured Yaeko to leave the Kyoto Women’s School. Could our girls go instead to that school instead of Yae’s? They -can- since the Ministry of Education guaranteed schooling for my girls but what does it say for a school that easily dismisses an instructor for no reason other than someone in the government wanted it?
But the girl at least tells them, she’d rather go with all of them. I can’t help but feel a -slight- approval for the girl whom Tomu seems to have chosen so early. Though I wonder, would this girl support him or is she just doing it because she thinks she likes my son and wants to be willful and get what she wants?
But he opposes the girl, “-No-. Aizu is… A backwards region. Only schools boys and it’s not well built up. The government doesn’t care about it. So it’s no place for you or Makoto or even Ai-chan when she goes.”
I’m surprised that this time he had seen Aizu for what it is, he’s always known the good but I didn’t know he knew the bad as well. But I should’ve known, he’s smart after all… But like me stubborn. So I light a cigarette and enter the kitchen.
“You shouldn’t shame your “own” boy.” I tell him. “But you’re right, Aizu is not a place to put down roots in. But for now, it’s the safest place.” I shrug, “It should only be a few days, a week at most before I resolve this menace. After that, all of you can go where you please.”
I can’t help but glance at Hide. I don’t know where she’ll go after this. Maybe she’ll go to her brothers after all if she thinks the Nishino girl can go to Doshisha, then likely she’s changed her mind about Kyoto. At least in Kyoto there is a school there that is under the Ministry of Education. They’ll have real support there too and even I suppose the Weasel and her friends.
I wish to go where you all go, Yagi-san, if you’ll have me. I can be an artist anywhere. Thank you for fighting for me.
Midori-chan’s wish… surprises me. And I know she means it. She’s expressed how much she likes it here, even as… chaotic as its been.
“You’re forgetting your mother, your family’s wishes. They’ve invested a lot and sacrificed spending years with you so you can get a good education, the kind they don’t have up north. If you don’t like Kyoto, I’m certain Yamaji-san can make Futaba work, find another family to board you. I’d be breaking my agreement with your mother if I left you get caught in our messes.” I sigh. Of course, having her here without Hajime’s input is one of the reasons this family is breaking up now. But she’s blameless. I was the adult and I should have incurred Tsutomu-kun’s ire…
Tsutomu-kun speaks up, outlining Aizu’s limited options. Midori-chan looks… sad as she speaks. “Living with a family again… I’ve not been this happy since I’ve been in Tokyo, helping out, being a big sister. And I want to support you – Yagi-san, you’ll need help with the baby if Yamaguchi-san isn’t here, and I can teach Makoto-chan, and Tsutomu-kun…”
My head hurts… and I still have Makoto to wake, and explain all of this to. I look around the house, frantic. Running and running and I don’t want to run, even if it’s the best. I just secured this house, and while I knew goodbyes were coming soon, I thought… not like this. Not like this.
You shouldn’t shame your “own” boy. But you’re right, Aizu is not a place to put down roots in. But for now, it’s the safest place. It should only be a few days, a week at most before I resolve this menace. After that, all of you can go where you please.
I’m startled as he comes in, was he listening the entire time? Midori-chan brightens up at his words. “Then it will be like a visit – and we can come back here? Back to Futaba?” She smiles at Tsutomu-kun.
I catch Hajime’s eyes on me. He just wants me -gone-. “Aizu will not be long-term,” I sigh. “We’ll have to see what’s next, I… don’t know, except that we have to leave.” I can’t go to Hokkaido. It’s something about going over the water… like a barrier, that if I go he’ll never come for me, or that I can’t come back to be here for him to come home to. I don’t know why I can’t lock that last foolish bit of my old self away, the one that always dreams and wishes for it all to magically get better because of -love-.
There’s no magic here anymore. Love that was just words and never actions would never be enough.
“If everyone can get their things together… Yukiko-san, Midori-chan, could you help Makoto? I’ll pack up what Ai-chan needs.” I turn, and look up at Hajime. “A moment, please, in the bedroom?”
(OOC – if the others exit can continue in this thread, otherwise a new one?)
Saitou:
“Then it will be like a visit – and we can come back here? Back to Futaba?”
I look at the girl. I heard what she said about helping but we’re not really her family… I mean her and the others are not this girl’s family. “That’s up to all of you.” I’m only dictating for this week after all. “But before you go making decisions as to where you’ll go young lady, you should ask your kin.”
I move on from the Nishino girl but Tomu gives me a bit of a scowl. It’s obvious he wants to bring along the girl to wherever they end up.
“Aizu will not be long-term,” “We’ll have to see what’s next, I… don’t know, except that we have to leave.”
I don’t say much to that. At least she realizes Aizu is only a temporary option, the girls won’t have a future there. They’ll end up just like Akane, home schooled and then marrying to get by…
But I’m asked to go meet Hide in the bedroom? She goes and leaves the rest and I hesitate a bit in following her. It’s not our bedroom anymore after all. But if they’re to leave this place, I’ll have to deal with whatever she has in mind.
(OOC: you can start new thread for the bedroom)